Poor BP

[Aught3]

http://mises.org/daily/4331

Basically the article says we should feel sorry for BP over the oil leak as it will cost them millions of dollars to clean up their mess. The concluding paragraph is worth quoting in full:

The abstraction called the "ecosystem" , which never seems to include mankind or civilization , has done far less for us than the oil industry, and the factories, planes, trains, and automobiles it fuels. The greatest tragedy here belongs to BP and its subsidiaries, and the private enterprises affected by the losses that no one intended. If the result is a shutdown of drilling and further regulation of private enterprise, we only end up letting the oil spill win.

If you go to the page and read the full article there is a little treat waiting at the bottom, enjoy.

 

[Demojen]

In the words of Coughlan666


FUCK BP!

 

[Unwardil]

Now, it's true I don't actually feel massive sympathy for the earth or the environment, but at the same time, when it was PB's systemic criminal negligence paired with incredibly lax safety regulations that let them get away with said negligence, I can't feel the least bit sorry for BP either. I can feel incredibly angry at all those both in industry and government who's personal greed is now coming back to hurt the workers and the world population generally.

I can appreciate that most of the amenities which I take more or less for granted (only I don't because I realize that they aren't free and come at costs such as this oil spill) are largely to do with the use of fossil fuels, without which, the industrial world never would have progressed at the rate it has. I like this progress and I can appreciate the view that this is primarily a human tragedy, by which I do not mean the stock holders in PB, but all the little individuals who will be affected by this thing who were in no way related to the cause of it and that stories about 'the environmental impact' very rarely take that human factor into account.

But as for this being a tragedy for the oil industry? Ha. If anything it'll just drive the cost of oil up, thus increasing the profits of oil companies world wide. Tragedy for the companies my left nut.

 

[Dark Evil Emu]

The writer of the article is quick to dismiss the importance of the ecosystem for "never [seeming] to include mankind or civilization." He or she doesn't realize that it does include mankind because we live off of the environment.

If the writer isn't impressed by the impact the oil has on our oceans, how about the impact on our industry? Fishing in that area has completely come to a halt because of BP. Entire crops of oysters have been poisoned and are not sell-able because of the poor ol' oil industry.

 

[Case]

And...

 

[AndromedasWake]

The abstraction called the "ecosystem" , which never seems to include mankind or civilization , has done far less for us than the oil industry, and the factories, planes, trains, and automobiles it fuels.

Um... hasn't the Earth's ecosystem nurtured and shaped an enormous variety of life over the last ~4 billion years, including human beings, or 'mankind'?

Just sayin'...

 

[Your Funny Uncle]

Um... hasn't the Earth's ecosystem nurtured and shaped an enormous variety of life over the last ~4 billion years, including human beings, or 'mankind'?

Indeed, and I'm pretty certain that without it there'd be no oil and hence no oil industry.

 

[MRaverz]

We need renewable energy sources, that much should be obvious.

 

[Case]

We need renewable energy sources, that must should be obvious.

Where's the must in that?

But yes, I second the notion that investing in renewable energy sources trumps all fossil fuel, nuclear power or fusion reactor attempts - plus we can use it immediately. Fusion will take a couple dozen years before we can utilize it, if it works at all. Of course I can see the appeal of ruining the federal budgets, poisoning our ecosystem and rewarding those who do it, but if we went for renewables, we'd save time, money and maybe, just maybe... the human species could stay alive for a little while longer. Choices...

 

[MRaverz]

We need renewable energy sources, that must should be obvious.

Where's the must in that?

But yes, I second the notion that investing in renewable energy sources trumps all fossil fuel, nuclear power or fusion reactor attempts - plus we can use it immediately. Fusion will take a couple dozen years before we can utilize it, if it works at all. Of course I can see the appeal of ruining the federal budgets, poisoning our ecosystem and rewarding those who do it, but if we went for renewables, we'd save time, money and maybe, just maybe... the human species could stay alive for a little while longer. Choices...

Mah bad, corrected that embarrassing mistake.

 

[RestrictedAccess]

Abstraction called the ecosystem?

Boy they don't waste time kissing major oil industry ass, do they? :roll:

 

[ImprobableJoe]

These are people who think food comes from some magical dimension and is delivered in take-out boxes, and that "environmentalism" is what their gardeners do. For those sorts, the multi-millionaires who have nothing to worry about no matter what happens, the true loss IS the astronomical profits of BP spilling into the ocean, and profits lost by other Gulf industries.Things that hurt people or the environment don't count... maybe because we non-millionaires aren't any more human to them than dead fish or birds.

 

[Lallapalalable]

I do pity BP, because its true they didnt have a meeting one day and all go "ya know what? Lets allow one of our platforms to explode, dumping millions upon millions of gallons of crude into the ocean, lose 21 lives, and foot the bill for a hundred billion dollar cleanup all while ruining our name and business!" And while it may have been their fault through mismanaging or failing to recognize any problems in the subcontractor, and their handling of the situation is borderline retarded, they ARE, in the end, one of the victims of this incident. Sure, there are many many more suffering more because of this, but that doesnt mean they suffer none.

Anyway, this being one of the few support pieces Ive seen for BP, they are doing a horrible job supporting them. One more reason I feel sorry for them.

Oh, and SCREW THE PELICANS THEY WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR DEMOCRATS ANYWAY.